Wardrobe or locker



Jan. 30, 1934.

F. ALBACH WARDROBE OR LOGKER Filed Feb. 12, 1932v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,0r 70E/vir Jan. 30, 1934. F. ALBACH WARDROBE OR LOCKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1932 d, y z 5 fk o wn/n /m .F

Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WARDROBE OR LOCKER Application February 12, 193.2. Serial No. 592,527

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to wardrobes or lockers and has more particular' reference -to a multiple compartment Wardrobe of the clotheslocker type especially, though not exclusively, adapted for use in schools and the like.

My invention has for an object the provision of a wardrobe or locker for schools and the like wherein the rush and confusion of the pupils intent on depositing or withdrawing their clothes in or from the wardrobe is minimized and the robing and disrobing of the children caused to be carried out in an orderly manner by dividing the wardrobe into a series of contiguous wall-separated compartments readily accessible along the entire front of the wardrobe from a lobby, hall, or the like for affording maximum 'access to the wardrobe contents to a very considerable number of pupils without interference or confusion.

My invention has for another object the pro-` vision of a school wardrobe having a plurality. of Wall-separated compartments of locker-type having individual doors for closure of the several respective compartments, wherein the compartcured against unauthorized access and pilfering of the wardrobe contents after the children have gone to their classes and, again, for quickly opening the Wardrobe on dismissal of the children from their classes for the speedy recovery of their wraps from the wardrobe.

My invention has for still another object the provision of a locker or wardrobe of the type stated which is relatively simple in structure, which may be economically and inexpensively manufactured and installed, which is durable and compact, and which is exceedingly eicient in the performance of its intended functions.

Arid with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of d parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the sheets) Figure 1 is a top-plan sectional view of a wardrobe or locker of my invention, taken approximately along the line 1-1, Figure 3, and illustrating the door-operating mechanism Yfor'simultaneous actuatioh'oftle'locker-doors, the latter being shown in open position;

Figure 2 is a broken or condensed, fragmentary accompanying drawings (three view similar to Figure 1, showing the several doors in closed position;

Figure 3 is a, front elevational view of the wardrobe with its several doors in open-position;

Figure 4 is a broken, vertical sectional view of the wardrobe, showing the main and subsidiarydoor actuating mechanism, taken approximately along the line 4 4, Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional v iew through the head of a subsidiary door and its actuating mechanism, taken approximately along the line 5-5, Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view through a door post and a pair of subsidiary doors associated therewith, taken approximately along the line 6-6, Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary interior elevational view of the main door and some of its associated subsidiary-doors, the wardrobe walls being shown in section;

Figure 8 is a view similarL to Figure 1 of a modied form of wardrobe or locker embodying my invention, wherein the wardrobe compartments are closable by single-doors merely, the doors being shown in open-position with some portions thereof broken away; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional View of' the head of the main-door and the wardrobe-housing, taken approximately along they line 9 9, Figure 8.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of my invention, the Wardrobe comprises a multiple compartment locker cabinet A including a top-wall 1, a bottom-wall 2, a back-Wall 3, and opposite end walls 4, each preferably constructed of suitable sheet metal and all suitably bolted, riveted, or otherwise fixed and secured together in cabinet or shell formation.

The cabinet A is divided by suitable intermedi-v ate vertical walls 5 to include or comprise a plurality of contiguous or individual clothes-compartments or lockers 6 preferably arranged for plural occupancy by respective spaced vertical partitions '7, some of which partitions are preferably provided with convenient clothes-hooks or hangers '7a and suitable shelving 8 being preferably provided, as shown, for the convenient repository of hats, articles, and the like, as best seen in Figure 3.

Fixed to and -upstanding along the front margin of the bottom-wall 2, is a longitudinal boxlike base-member 9, which includes an inturned upper-wall or sill 10. Suitably xed to and mounted on the front margins of the cabinet end walls 4, are vertical end posts 11, and likewise suitably attached to the front margins of the walls 5, is a series of spaced vertical intermediate posts 12, the posts 11, 12, extending between the sill and the cabinet top-wall 1 for providing approximately rectangular door-openings each leading into a. particular or individual compartment 6. The posts 11, 12, are preferably of tubular approximately square or rectangular crosssection and on their respective door-opening sides have inturned flanges providing jamb-walls 13 longitudinally recessed or rabbetted along their rear or compartment-presented margins, as at 14, for a purpose soon appearing and as best seen in Figure 6.

Suitably fixed to and upstanding from the top- Wall 1 and extending longitudinally along the front of the cabinet A, is a head-board 15 preferably forming the front wall of a box-like housing 16 extending on the top wall 1 likewise the length of the cabinet A.

Also extending longitudinally of the cabinet A at the lower front corner of the housing 16, is a head-plate or angular Z-shaped member 17 having its horizontal web portion spaced vertically from cabinet top-wall 1.

The several compartments 6, with the exception of one, or in the present instance the righthand compartment of the wardrobe (reference being particularly made to Figures 1 and 2), are each closable by a respective pair of opposingly swingable leaf-members or doors B, C, of the non-latching type. For descriptive purposes, such doors are referred to as the subsidiary doors, the doors B swinging right-hand and the doors C swinging left-hand. The right-hand end compartment 6, however, is closable by a pair of doors including a left-hand door C and a right-hand door D, the latter being of the lockable type and descriptively referred to as the main-door.

The doors B, C, D, respectively, include bodypanels 18 flanged inwardly, as at 19, along their respective top, bottom, and free sides and provided at their respective pivoted sides with a vertical tubular stile 20 of approximately rectangular section, as shown in Figure 6.

Mounted in and extending through the stile 20, is a pintle-shaft 21 also preferably of rectangular section, the shaft 21 being preferably spot-welded or otherwise rigidly xed to the walls of the stile 20. At its lower end, the shaft 21 terminates in a round-nosed pintle 22 disposed for rotatory movement in and through the sill 10 and endwise bearing on a suitable step or clip-angle 23 projecting rearwardly from the front wall of the base 9, as best seen in Figure 4.

'I'he pivots of the doors B, C, D, are located, it may be here stated, oppositely the rabbets 14 of the respective posts 11, 12. Thus the rabbets 14 provide clearance for the inner side margins of the doors, whereby the panels 18 of the respective doors are adapted to impinge or strike the jambs 13 of the respective posts 11, 12, when the several doors are in open position, as best seen in Figure 6. Hence the several doors B, C, D, when fully open project approximately right angularly to the frontof the wardrobe in parallel relation to the compartment side walls and provide, as will be seen from Figure 1, a series of booths, as may be said, leading to the respective compartments 6 for segregating the children into groups, whereby confusion and crowding of the children isl substantially avoided and the process of robing -and disrobing may hence be carried on inl an orderly and highly expeditious manner.

The stile 20 of each respective door B, C, D, is returned along the inside of the panel 18 and spot-welded thereto for stiiening and reinforcing the same for resisting such post-impinging action of the respective door, whereby the engagement of the respective doors B, C, D, with the respective posts l1, l2, serves most eiectively for limiting the outward swinging actuation of the doors and also provides a sturdy and strong construction for the purpose of withstanding childish pranks and accidental collisions of the children with the several doors as may occur during the rush of the children to or from the wardrobe.

At its upper end, each shaft 21 has a reduced squared end or non-circular pintle extension or stub 24, which projects upwardly through the top-wall 1 and head-plate 17,` and mounted on and secured, as by respective set-screws 25, to the stub-shafts 24 of the respective doors B for bearing on the step 17, are hub-bodies 26 each having a reduced portion 27 depending rotarily in and through the head-plate17 and cabinet wall 1, each hub 26 carrying at its lower portion a lateral arm 28.

Similarly mounted on and secured by set-screws to the stub-shafts 24 of the respective doors C, are hub bodies 29 similar to the hubs 26 and each also carrying a lateral arm 30 likewise simi,- lar to the arms 28, the several arms 30 projecting, however, from the upper portion of the respective hubs 29, whereby the arms 30 of the doors C swing or move in a plane above or over that of the arms 28 of the doors B, as best seen in Figure 5.

At its free or outer end each of the arms 28 is suitably faced and apertured for disposition between the bifurcated arms of, and pivotally, as by a pivot-pin 31, suitably secured to, a yoke 32, the body of which has a preferably rectangular aperture for reception of linkage means including an actuator-rod 33 of preferably square cross-section, the rod 33 extending longitudinally in the housing 16 and being supported by and from the series of arms 28 of the doors B, suitable fastening means, as set-screws 34, serving to adjustably secure the yokes 32 on the rod 33.

In a similar manner, the arms 30 are pivotally by pins 31 connected to yokes 32 which support, and are by set-screws 34 secured to, an actuator- `rod 35 disposed in a plane above that of the rod 33, the rods 33, 35, being oppositely reciprocable in the housing 16 for correspondingly, through the arms 28, 30, respectively, swingably actuating the doors B, C, also respectively from open to closed, or closed to open, positions.

The stub-shaft 24 of the door D, however, carries a hub 36 having also a reduced depending portion 2.7 rotarily mounted in and through the head-plate 17 and cabinet top-wall 1, the hub 36 being engaged on its upper end by a clip-angle or shelf 37 and having likewise an arm 28 pivotally, as by a pin 3l, connected to a yoke 32 mounted on and secured by a set-screw 34 to the end of the rod 33. Intermediately mounted on the hub body 36, is a spur-gear 33 meshing at a 1:1 ratio with a secondgear 39 carried by a hub 40 rotarily mounted on a pin 41 mounted in and between, the head-plate 17 and shelf-angle 37, the hub 40, in turn, carrying an arm 30 pivotally, as by a pin 31, connected to a yoke 32 mounted on, and secured by a set-screw 34 to, the end of the rod 35, as best seen in Figures 2 and 4.

geared to the door D, are disposed obliquely to the right, as best seen inFigure 1.

On the closure of the main door D, all the right hand subsidiary doors B are inunison swung to closed position and, likewise, through the gears 38, 39, and hub 40, all the left-hand doors C are also simultaneously and in unison swung lto closed position, the several arms 28, 30, swinging then to respectively opposite oblique positions, as best seen in Figure 2.

It will thus be seen that there is a positive mechanical connection between the subsidiary doors B. C, and the'main door D, whereby merely on manual manipulation by the one or master-door D, all ofthe doors B, C, are simultaneously and in unison therewith swung to compartment opening or closing position, as the case may -be. Hence, also', if the one or the master-door cannot b e opened, that is to say, if it be locked in closed position, the subsidiary doors B, C, are retained or locked in corresponding position. For such purpose, thedoor D is provided with latching means including preferably upper and lower socalled cane-bolts 42 engageablewith the sill 10 and top-wall 1, respectively, and actuable by aV suitable handle 43 and associated mechanism 44, as will be understood by those skilled in the locker art, a lock 45 being provided on, the door D' for co-operation with the latching mechanism for preventing unauthorized manipulation thereof, as best seen in Figure 7.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a modied form of wardrobe A' subdivided into a plurality of wall separated or individual compartments 6 closable, however, by merely single doors B', D', the doors B' being right-hand subsidiary doors and the door D being an also right-hand main door. In form and function, the construction of the wardrobe AV and doors B', D', are substantially as hereinbefore described for the wardrobe A and doors B, D, respectively, hence more particular description of the same is here omitted. It will be observed, however, that the door-pintle-shafts 2l' are all provided with like hubs 26' suitably rotarily mounted in and through the head-'plate l 17 and wardrobe top-wall 1' and carrying arms 28 pivotally connected by pins 31' to yokes 32 mounted on an actuator-rod 33. Hence actuation of the master door D' causes simultaneous and like actuation of the subsidiary doors D.

In use and operation, it will be understood that for large classrooms or the like a series of wardrobes A or A' maybe arranged, each controlled by its main-door D,.or D', as the case may be. Thus, a relatively few points of control will most satisfactorily govern the entire locker-room in a highly eicient, satisfactory, and time-saving mannen, whereby the teacher of the class or the principal of the school may assume personal suf pervision of the locker-room and will be enabled to close and lock or unlock and open the several wardrobes with minimum loss of time. In such manner, the responsibility for safeguarding the clothes of the children may be imposed upon the authorities of the school instead of to the usual monitor-pupils with enhanced `efficiency in the n administration of the locker-room.

wardrobe may be made and substituted for those hereinv shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. In a wardrobe, a shell, a plurality of individual shell-closures, means comprising pintles xed to the respective closures and engaging the shell for supporting the closures for swingable movement, said pintles extending lupwardly through the top wall ofthe shell, means including arms having rigid connection with the pintles over the shell-top-wall lfor connecting the several closures for simultaneous movement, and spaced walls in the shell having jambs for engagement with the respective closures for limiting shell-opening movement thereof, the closures when in open position extending in parallelism with respectivevwalls.

2. I n a wardrobe, a shell, a plurality of individual shell closures disposed in pair relation, means comprising pintles nxed on the respective closures engaging' the shell for supporting the closures for swingable movement', and means connecting the several closures for simultaneous .'swingable movement, said means including rigid pintle-extensions, a pair of parallel bars, a set of parallel arms rigidly engaging the pintle-extensionsof alternate closures and pivotally enl gaging one of said bars, a second set of parallel arms rigidly engaging the pintle-extensions of the remaining closures and pivotally engaging the second bar, and an operative connection between the two sets of arms.

3. In a Wardrobe, a shell, a plurality of individual shell closures disposed pair relation, means comprising pintles fixed on the respective closures engaging the shell for supporting the closures for swingable movement, and means connecting the several closures for simultaneous swingable movement, said means including rigid pintle-extensions, a pair of parallel bars, a set of parallel arms rigidly engaging the pintle-extensions of alternate closures and pivotally engaging one of said bars, a second set of parallel arms rigidly engaging the pintle-extensions of the remaining closures'and pivotally engaging the second-bar, and meshing gears operatively connecting the two sets of arms.

4. In a wardrobe, a shell, a plurality of individual shell closures disposed in pair Arelation, means comprising pintles fixed on the respective closures engaging the shell for supporting the closures for swingable movement, and means gaging one of said bars, a second set of parallel arms rigidly engaging the pintle-extensions of the remaining closures and pivotally engaging the second bar, said sets ofarms being disposed in planes one above the other, and meshing gears on the pintle-extensionsof one of said closure- 140 i pairs operatively connecting the two sets of arms. 5. A wardrobe comprising a cabinet having spaced head and sill portions, pintle-shafts lengthwise extending between. and pivotally at Y their opposite ends engaged with, said head and sill portions, closure-members for. the wardrobe having stiles at their respective inner margins embracing and permanently fixed on said shafts, armsA rigidly engaged at an end with the shafts over the shell top wall for rotatory movement of the shafts and consequent swingable movement of the outer free margins of the closure-members relatively to the cabinet, yokes pivotally 'in the respective planes for operative connecconnected directly with the free ends of the arms and a bar connecting the several yokes for unison actuation of the closure-members.

6. In a wardrobe, a shell, individual pairs of opposite shell closures, means pivotally connecting the closures with the shell for swingable movement, arms rigidly iixed at an `end to r'espective closures, the arms of the respective closures of each pair being disposed for swingable movement in planes one above. the other, oppositely shiftable rods having pivotal engagement with the respective opposed ends ofthe arms i the respective planes for operative connection of the closures in oppositely operable series, and means carried by certain of said arms and operable with one of said doors for opposite actuation of said rods for swingably opening and closing the closures in/unison.

7. In a Wardrobe, a shell, individual pairs of opposite shell closures pivotally` mounted on the shell for swingable movement, arms rigidly xed at an end to respective lclosures and the arms of vthe respective closures of each pair .being dis'- posed for' swingable movement in planes one above the other, rods mounted for lengthwise shiftable movement on the shell, spaced yokes xed on the respective rods and pivgtally connected directly with the free ends of the arms tion of the closures in oppositely operable series,

and means associated with certain ofsaid arms and operable with one of said doors for opposite actuation of said rods for swingably opening and closing the closures in unison.

8. In a wardrobe, a shell, individual pairs of opposite shell closures pivotally mounted on the shell for swingable movement, arms rigidly xed,

movement with the respective free ends of the arms in the respective planes for operative connection of the closures in oppositely operable series, and means operable with one of said doors for opposite actuationof said rods for swingably opening and closing the closuresin unison.

9. In a wardrobe, a shell, pairs of opposed closures mounted swingably on the shell for closure thereof, means including series of arms having rigid connection with the closures and oppositely shiftable rods havingV pivoted connection with the arms for connecting the respective closures of each pair thereof 'in oppositely swingable series, and means including meshing rotary gears associated with certain of said arms, whereby operation of one of said doors will operatesaid rods for unison actuation of all ofthe closures for simultaneous opening and closing the shell.

FRANK ALBACHI 

